Flushing tank actuator



May 7, 1963 G. L. PORE FLUSHING TANK ACTUATOR Filed July 22, 1960 6/6/7 A. Pore INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United tates Patent 3,088,122 FLUSHING TANK ACTUATOR Glen L. Pore, 708 4th St., Palacios, Tex. Filed July 22, 1960, Ser. No. 44,716 2 Claims. (Cl. 467) This invention relates to a flushing tank actuator of the type of actuators employed to flush fluid containers such as toilet tanks and the like, and the invention especially relates to such an actuator which is positive in operation, easily installed, comprised of a minimum number of working parts, and above all it relates to such an actuator which is reliable throughout long working service to lift a valve element to open the tank discharge when it is desired to flush the tank, also the invention relates to such an actuator which is adapted to seat such valve element positively to close ofl the discharge thereafter to permit the tank to refill for subsequent flushing.

In flushing fluid containers heretofore employed a valve unseats from a discharge through the bottom of the container to permit flushing water therein to flow out of the container by gravity, such a container being a conventional toilet tank for holding flushing water for the toilet bowl therebelow, the tank thereafter being re-filled when the valve element closing the discharge re-seats thereon. In such containers, as conventional toilet tanks, a float opens a flushing water supply line to let in water when the float falls to the level at which the tank is emptied, and also the float controls the level to which the tank is filled, since when the flushing water reaches such predetermined level the float operates to close the supply line valve.

In conventional toilets a series of linkages and working parts have heretofore been used to lift the valve element from its valve seat or discharge to permit flushing while such linkages or corresponding control arms are also connected to the float which determines the level to which such a tank is to be filled, such float being adapted to open the flushing water supply line as the valve element reseats. Of necessity such linkages cannot be very strong and durable, and during extended usage the cooperative parts often become worn, get out of position, and malfunction in well known manners, such as those occasions when the supply line continuously delivers flushing liquid into the tank as it constantly runs out through the discharge because the valve element closing the discharge fails to seat or seats improperly. As hereinbelow applied, the term flushing tank actuator will be used generally to describe the invention and its mechanism, and thus will not include the float, the supply line controlled thereby, or the valve seat or discharge through which the tank is evacuated.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a flushing tank actuator, as a flusher for a conventional toilet tank which is positive in operation in that the discharge is opened and closed by a positively acting combination of elements requiring a minimum number of moving parts.

It is another important object of this invention to provide a flushing tank actuator of this class which is set in motion by the minimum exercise of manual operation and which operates positively responsive to such minimum manipulation. I j

7 It is also an object of this invention to provide a flushing tank actuator of this class which is inexpensively constructed to provide a valve element which unseats and seats in synchronization with the respective beginning of flushing fluid departure from the tank and the com-pletion of emptying the tank.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification herein is considered in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of an actuator disclosing an embodiment of the invention and its operative principles, in this view the controlling valve element being shown seated on the valve seat provided by the discharge; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the valve element in unseated and stopped position.

Referring in detail to the drawings in which like reference numerals are assigned to corresponding elements in the various views a tank or container 10, as disclosed in dotted lines in FIG. 1, is shown having a discharge conduit 11 passing downwardly through the bottom thereof with such discharge conduit 11 having its upper end countersunk to provide a valve seat 12 to receive thereon the conical surface 13 of a flush valve element 14. Such valve element is shown having at flat lower surface 15 and an upper surface 16 of substantially hemispherical shape. The flush valve element 14- has a bore 17 therethrough with the upper end thereof being counterbored and tapped to receive therein the threaded lower end 18 of an upstanding tube 19 having a closure plug 20 in the upper end thereof.

A yoke 21 extends around the upper end of the discharge conduit or outlet 11 with the arms providing the open end of the yoke being cross-connected by a bolt 23 passing through the outer ends of the yoke arms and a nut being tightened thereon to firmly bind the yoke 21 to the discharge conduit. An upright member 22 upstands from the yoke 21 and has an annular ring 24 on the horizontally extending upper end thereof to provide a guide to receive the upper end of the tube 19 therethrough.

A jet tube 25 extends upwardly through the valve element bore 17, such jet tube being tapered to smallest diameter at its upper end and having its substantially largest diameter at the lower end of the bore 17 with such diameter being substantially the diameter of such bore 17. Therebelow the jet tube 25 is curved at substantially right angles to provide an elbow 26 which is internally threaded to receive therein the inner end of a nipple 27 which passes inwardly sealably through the wall a lock nut 32 threaded onto its innermost external threads to firmly lock the" valve body 30 to the tank 10. 'From its inner end the valve body 30 is bored, counterbored, countersunk and internally threaded to provide a flow passage 33 thereinto. From its outer end the valve body Si) is drilled and tapped to provide a shoulder 34 against which seats a seal member 35 which is compressed by a packing gland 36 which seats against the shoulder 34.

A plunger 38 may be inserted through the flow passage 33 so that a stop flange 39 thereon may shoulder on the opposite side of the smallest bore through the valve body from the shoulder 34.. From the stop flange 39 the plunger 34; extends outwardly through the seal 35 and packing gland 36 and has a knob either press-fitted or pinnned'to its outer end, such knob thus restraining at spring '41 between its inner end and the outer face of the gland 36. An inlet valve ball 42 is inserted into the inner end of the valve body 30 to seat at 43 on the countersunk surface provided within the valve body thereby to control and close the flow passage 38' when seated. An adapter fitting 44 is threaded into the inner end "of the valve body 30 to establish communication between its interior and a pressure fluid or supply line 45 Patented May 7, 1963 leading thereto from the inner side of the valve body, the pressure of such fluid normally urging the inlet valve ball 42 seated.

As a normal operation that is well known, the tank of a toilet is filled with water and the upper level attained by the water or flushing liquid is controlled by a conventional float, the flushing water being supplied into the tank through a conduit which the float automatically closes by means of mechanism it operates in conventional manner when the float reaches its highest predetermined position in the tank. As this invention is employed, when it is desired to flush the tank the knob 40 will be pressed to compress the spring 41 as the plunger 48 is moved inwardly to unseat the inlet valve ball 42 whereby pressurized fluid from the conduit 45 may enter the valve body 30 and pass by the inlet valve ball 42 and down the conduit 28 and up the jet tube 25 to be jetted against the plug 20 closing the top of the tube 19.

A lifting force is thereby exerted on the flush valve element 14 by this action of pressure fluid within the tube 19, an included part of the flush valve element 14. Thus, the valve element 14 is lifted as the tube 19 is constrained by the annular ring 24, and the flush valve element 14 passes guidably upwardly with relation to such ring 24. Finally the upper surface 16 of the flush valve element 14 outwardly of the tube 19 comes into contact with the lower face of the ring 24 thereby stopping further upward travel of the flush valve element 14.

During the ascent of the flush valve element 14 the flushing water within the tank has been rushing into the discharge outlet or conduit II and passing out downwardly therethrough. As this occurs the conventional float within the tank 10 has been descending with the lowering of the water level until it has reached a point at which it opens the flushing water supply line into the tank 10 and the tank begins to fill. In the meantime the fluid under pressure which has been employed within the tube 19 to lift the flush valve element 14 has passed out from the tube 19 into the tank and downwardly through the discharge conduit -11. This is possible, as seen in FIG. 2, as in the upper position of the flush valve element 14, there is substantial clearance between the tube 19 and the bore 17 with relation to the jet tube 25.

The pressure on the knob 40 having been released, the flush valve element 14 with the lifting fluid drained therefrom, descends freely by virtue of its weight. As it passes down about the jet tube 25 the clearance between the bore 17 and the inner wall of the tube 19 with relation to the jet tube 25 is lessened so that the flush valve element 14 may be said to ride guidably down the jet tube 19 whereby the positive seating of the valve element on the valve seat -12 is assured.

The invention is not limited to the form thereof shown in the drawings hereinabove described but rather the invention includes a wide variety of variations within the broad principles thereof. For instance the conduit 28 may extend between the discharge outlet 11 externally of the tank 10 to the valve body 30 and the conduit 45 may also extend to the valve body externally of the tank -10. Also, the guide ring 24 may be supported from within the tank 10 other than by means of its disclosed releasable connection to the discharge conduit. As a matter of fact the invention extends to include any selectably openable pressure fluid conduit which may supply lifting fluid to lift the flush valve element 14 while at the same time the invention includes any means which will guide and retain the valve element in upward passage in manner to insure its positive re-seating.

Consequently the invention may be practiced in numerous disclosures, embodiments, forms and variations other than those shown in the drawings, and hence the invention includes any constructions and forms which may fall within the broad spirit thereof, and within the broad scope of interpretation claimed for and merited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a flushing water tank having a bottom discharge outlet providing a valve seat upwardly, a flushing tank actuator comprising a flush valve element to seat on said flush valve seat, a bore through said flush valve element, an upwardly closed tube with lower end connected into the upper end of said bore and extending thereabove, a guide stop within said tank receiving the upper end of said tube therethrough when said flush valve element is seated, a jet tube extending upwardly through said bore and tapered to a smaller diameter discharge end Within said tube above said valve element and with larger diameter at the lower end of said bore and of substantially the diameter of said bore, a conduit sealably connected through said discharge outlet to said jet tube therewithin below said valve element and extending upwardly Within said tank, a valve body extending sealably outwardly through the side wall of said tank and having a flow passage therethrough with the upper end of said conduit connected thereinto, an outwardly seating inlet valve ball controlling said flow passage inwardly of said conduit connection thereinto, a plunger mounted to be yieldably and sealably urged inwardly from the exterior of said tank to unseat said inlet valve ball, and a pressure fluid connection into the inner end of said valve body to deliver fluid into said flow passage and down said conduit until said plunger is released to allow said inlet valve ball to re-seat, said pressure fluid passing down said conduit and up said jet tube to lift said closed tube and said flush element therewith until said flush valve element contacts said guide stop, the flushing water flowing out said discharge outlet as said tube and flush valve element therewith descend and said flush valve element re-seating as the pressure fluid drains downwardly from within said tube through said bore into said discharge outlet.

2. The combination of a flushing water tank having a discharge providing a valve seat upwardly and a flushing tank actuator, said flushing tank actuator comprising a flush valve element including a continuously closed tube extending thereabove, a stop, a jet tube extending upwardly through said valve element with small end upwardly to discharge into said tube, a conduit sealably connected through said discharge to communicate with said jet tube, and an inlet ball valve yieldably, releasably operable through the side wall of said tank to admit pressure fluid to pass through said conduit until said inlet ball valve is released to cut off pressure fluid flow, said pressure fluid passing up said jet tube into said closed tube to lift said flush valve element until it contacts said stop, the flushing water flowing out said discharge as said flush valve element descends and said flush valve element re-seating as the pressure fluid drains downwardly from within said tube into said discharge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 574,367 Madden Dec. 29, 1896 1,476,029 Black Dec. 4, 1923 2,449,948 Milne Sept. 21, 1948 2,744,262 Boyd May 8, 1956 2,862,210 Traver Dec. 2, 1958 

2. THE COMBINATION OF A FLUSHING WATER TANK HAVING A DISCHARGE PROVIDING A VALVE SEAT UPWARDLY AND A FLUSHING TANK ACTUATOR, SAID FLUSHING TANK ACTUATOR COMPRISING A FLUSH VALVE ELEMENT INCLUDING A CONTINUOUSLY CLOSED TUBE EXTENDING THEREABOVE, A STOP, A JET TUBE EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID VALVE ELEMENT WITH SMALL END UPWARDLY TO DISCHARGE INTO SAID TUBE, A CONDUIT SEALABLY CONNECTED THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE TO COMMUNICATE WITH SAID JET TUBE, AND AN INLET BALL VALVE YIELDABLY, RELEASABLY OPERABLE THROUGH THE SIDE WALL OF SAID TANK TO ADMIT PRESSURE FLUID TO PASS THROUGH SAID CONDUIT UNTIL SAID INLET BALL VALVE IS RELEASED TO CUT OFF PRESSURE FLUID FLOW, SAID PRESSURE FLUID PASSING UP SAID JET TUBE INTO SAID CLOSED TUBE TO LIFT SAID FLUSH VALVE ELEMENT UNTIL IT CONTACTS SAID TOP, THE FLUSHING WATER FLOWING OUT SAID DISCHARGE AS SAID FLUSH VALVE ELEMENT DESCENDS AND SAID FLUSH VALVE ELEMENT RE-SEATING AS THE PRESSUE FLUID DRAINS DOWNWARDLY FROM WITHIN SAID TUBE INTO SAID DISCHARGE. 